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Annual Filing Season Program (AFSP)

Please note that the demand for this voluntary program has been less than anticipated and the program has been suspended as of September, 2017. We will reevaluate offering the program in 2018, especially if the program should change from voluntary to required. Please check back on this website in 2018 for any updates.

This new voluntary continuing education program aims to recognize the efforts of non-credentialed return preparers who aspire to a higher level of professionalism. Meet the requirements by obtaining 18 hours of continuing education, including a 6 hour federal tax law refresher course with test, and you will receive an Annual Filing Season Program - Record of Completion from the IRS.

AFSP participants will also be included in a public database of return preparers scheduled to launch on the IRS website by January 2016. The Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers with Credentials and Select Qualifications will include the name, city, state, zip code, and credentials of all attorneys, CPAs, enrolled agents, enrolled retirement plan agents and enrolled actuaries with a valid PTIN, as well as all AFSP - Record of Completion holders.

Effective for tax returns and claims for refunds prepared and signed after Dec. 31, 2015, the limited right to represent clients before the IRS held by non-credentialed preparers will be accorded to only those preparers participating in the IRS Annual Filing Season Program, a voluntary continuing education (CE) program. The changes in the limited representation rules have no impact on returns prepared and signed by non-credentialed preparers on or before Dec. 31, 2015.

Non-credentialed tax return preparers who participate in the Annual Filing Season Program will continue to have limited rights to represent clients. This enables them to represent taxpayers whose returns they prepared and signed, but only before revenue agents, customer service representatives and similar IRS employees, including the Taxpayer Advocate Service. The tax return preparer must participate in the Annual Filing Season Program for both the year of return preparation and the year of representation to represent their client.

Skillmaker Career Consulting, in conjunction with Molloy College, will be offering the Annual Filing Season Program (AFSP) program for tax return preparers. The course is offered once per year in the fall on two different schedules at both our Rockville Centre and Suffolk Centre campuses. The fall 2016 schedule is as follows:

Section A: two Saturdays, December 3 and 10, 2016 from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. each day (one hour for lunch) on Molloy's Rockville Centre campus.

Preparers who complete the program will receive an AFSP - Record of Completion.

Course DescriptionThe AFSP consists of a 6-hour Annual Federal Tax Refresher (AFTR) Course, a 2-hour Tax Ethics CE course, and a 10-hour Tax Law CE course. The AFTR is crafted specifically for those who wish to obtain an IRS AFSP - Record of Completion. It covers filing season issues and tax law updates and culminates with a comprehensive, 100-question test. Upon completion of each of the three elements, you will receive a Certificate of Completion and your credit will be reported to the IRS. Completing all three elements will qualify you to receive the IRS AFSP - Record of Completion for the 2016 tax year.

Study MaterialsStudents receive a comprehensive study guide developed by Skillmaker Career Consulting and Fast Forward Academy, a leading provider of accounting and tax training materials, and have access to Fast Forward's online study support system and test bank to practice questions similar to those contained on the actual exam.

InstructionInstruction is delivered live by expert tax and education professionals that have been teaching tax law for a number of years in addition to applying the law in private practice. The instructional staff includes a tax attorney and CPAs, one of which is a former IRS agent and IRS training manager. Our class size is kept small, and students receive direct access to the professors so their questions receive prompt and personal attention. The combination of instruction taught by our faculty along with the resources provided by Fast Forward is a proven strategy for success.

LocationSection A will be offered at Molloy's Rockville Centre campus located at 1000 Hempstead Avenue, Rockville Centre, NY. Click here for directions. The building and room location will be sent with your registration confirmation.

Registration and TuitionThe course is offered in its entirety for $259. Students and Alumni from Molloy, as well as members of the Financial Planning Association (FPA) of LI, will receive a 10% discount. One discount per person.

Students should register for classes at least one week prior to the start of classes. Online registration is available by clicking here. Phone in registration is available by calling 516.323.3550 with your MasterCard or Visa. To register in person, by fax or mail, please follow the directions on our web page: www.molloy.edu/ce/registration under Registration.

Continuing EducationMolloy College is an approved provider by the IRS to provide continuing education. Approval number: Z1SQ8-U-00001-13-I. In addition, Molloy College is an approved CPE sponsor for CPAs by the NYS Education Department. The NYS sponsor registry number is 002743 for Molloy College.